(CNN) - Sen. Roger Wicker, whose Washington office was sent letters laced with the poison ricin, said Thursday he's met the man who stands charged with sending the envelopes.

"He's an entertainer. He's an Elvis impersonator, and he entertained at a party that my wife and I helped give for a young couple that was getting married. He was quite entertaining," said Wicker, R-Mississippi, of Paul Kevin Curtis, who was charged Thursday with making threats against the president and sending threatening letters, according to the Justice Department.
"My impression is that since that time he's had mental issues and perhaps is not as stable as he was back then, but that would be speculation on my part," Wicker continued.

The letters, which were discovered on Tuesday, were addressed to Wicker and to Obama. A third letter was sent to a Mississippi justice official, the Justice Department said.

On Thursday, the Clarion-Ledger of Jackson, Mississippi, posted photographs of a man it identified as Paul Kevin Curtis. In one photograph, he is shown under an "Elvis" sign holding a microphone as he appears to be singing. He is wearing a white suit and sporting long sideburns and swept-back hair.

"I can tell you Mr. Curtis vehemently denies the allegations against him," said Christi McCoy, a lawyer for Curtis said.

Curtis was ordered detained at Thursday's hearing and has a detention hearing Friday in Oxford, Mississippi.

soundoff(2 Responses)

He apparently wasn't mentally impaired enough to develop the plan, obtain the Ricin or make it, and then send the poison off to at least three recipients including the president.

April 18, 2013 01:13 pm at 1:13 pm |

Dutch/Bad Newz, VA -aka- Take Back The House

I bet Mr. Wicker didn't find that letter to be entertaining. The guy is mentally deranged? He can't be too crazy if he knew where to mail the letters to and endorses them "I approve this message." Prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law.